Current motorsport related news, information and discussion on the current seasons of NASCAR, IndyCar, V8 Supercars, DTM, WTCC, BTCC, GP2, GP3 and other junior formulae, rallying and all other forms of motorsport.

John Dagys wrote:FIA reveals ‘hypercar’ design concept for top prototype class in 2020-2021

June 7, 2018

The FIA has confirmed that the new set of top-level prototype regulations will feature design concepts based on hypercars when it goes into effect in the 2020-21 World Endurance Championship season.

A summary of the new technical regs, which remain in discussion, were presented to the FIA World Motor Sport Council on Thursday in Manila.

Further details are set to be released next week in Le Mans.

Among the points discussed include a targeted budget reduction of 75 percent from current LMP1 factory budgets and the freedom for manufacturers to design cars “based on a hypercar concept.”

The presentation follows more than nine months of discussions between the FIA, ACO and manufacturers to define the new ruleset, which was developed in the wake of Porsche’s exit from LMP1 competition.

ACO President Pierre Fillon previously revealed plans for a “GTP-like” concept, which would see manufacturers build prototypes that bear resemblance to its high-end production cars.

At least five manufacturers: Toyota, Ford, McLaren, Aston Martin and Ferrari, have been in roundtable meetings for the new regs, which could also be adopted in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

A targeted budget of one-quarter of the current LMP1 budgets, meanwhile, would put it in the range of €25 million ($30 million) per season.

Thursday’s WMSC meeting also confirmed a new initiative from the WEC to “encourage the participation” of female drivers.

Details of that initiative, along with the technical regulations, will be presented at the ACO’s annual press conference on June 15.

As expected, the Endurance Committee’s proposal to shorten the length of the 2019 Sebring event from 1500 to 1,000 miles was approved, thus confirming the revised 2018-19 WEC schedule.

ACO announces details of 2020 ‘hypercar’ regulations for top class of endurance racing…

Details of the new-look top class for endurance racing have been announced at the ACO’s annual press conference ahead of a 2020 debut.

The design concept was confirmed by the FIA at the World Motorsport Council last week but details of the formula were presented to the public for the first time at Circuit de la Sarthe on Friday morning.

The cars will resemble each manufacturer’s road car design and costs will be around one-quarter of the current LMP1 hybrid budget.

They will come into effect for the 2020-21 FIA World Endurance Championship season and make their 24 Hours of Le Mans debut in June 2021.

Several aspects of the design are open, including free engine architecture and the ability to run any number of cylinders in either a turbocharged or naturally-aspirated design.

The cars will have an overall weight of 980 kg while weight distribution will be capped, along with a defined maximum fuel flow, controlled efficiency other regulations to prevent expensive development.

An electric motor will be mounted on the front axle with a fixed performance of 200 kW while the engine’s maximum performance target is 520 kW.

Each car will have two seats, a bigger cockpit than the current LMP1 machines, a wider windscreen and a roofline more consistent with road cars.

Manufacturers will have to make their systems available for privateer teams to lease at an affordable price, while any manufacturer can build its own hybrid system which will be entirely homologated by the FIA and ACO.

Estimated lap times at Le Mans are around 3:20, and so slightly slower than the current LMP1 hybrid performance.

“The new regulations for the FIA World Endurance Championship, which come into effect for the 2020/21 season, are the result of hard work between members of the FIA, ACO, manufacturers and teams,” commented FIA President Jean Todt.

“This will provide endurance racing with a long term, stable platform, while continuing to offer a cost-effective stage to showcase future technologies.”

When will these rules come into force?
Any new cars will join the 2020/ 2021 FIA WEC in September 2020, they will be eligible to race at Le Mans in 2021.

Are they now formally approved?
Not yet, an outline was considered by the latest meeting of the FIA’s World Motorsport Council (WMSC), the regulations will be considered and discussed by the next meeting of the FIA Endurance Commission early next month before being submitted to the WMSC for final approval and adoption at their meeting in early December.

What does a season’s budget look like?
From a starting point, announced at the Le Mans 24 Hours of c25-30 million Euro for a 2 car full season FIA WEC effort the current estimates are that a manufacturer programme could be delivered for 20 million Euro, and a privateer programme for c.16 million Euro.

Does that mean a hard cost cap?
Overall no, any team can opt to spend more than that but the formula is designed to ensure that additional expenditure cannot be translated into a performance advantage, helping, rulemakers hope, to stem expensive development battles.

How is there a difference between the cost for factories and Privateers?
One major difference is that any homologated hybrid drive system used by a factory MUST be made commercially available to a privateer at a fixed cost of 2 Million Euro per season.

What engines are eligible?
Any engine configuration and architecture is eligible with a power limit of 520kW (c.700 bhp), a limit on the number of engines useable per season will be imposed.

And the Hybrid systems?
Limited to 200 kW (c.270 bhp), operating on the front axle only, the amount of stored energy for the systems is still to be finalised. Again a limit on the number of systems useable for a season will be introduced.

What about aerodynamics?
There will be strict controls on aero development, cars must operate within a defined ‘window’ with key areas of the cars ‘frozen’ from development.

The parameters will include ‘numbers’ for maximum downforce and minimum drag.

How fast will the new cars be?
There is a target lap time of 3:24-3:25 at Le Mans for the new cars.

Isn’t that slower than originally planned?
Yes, a little, initial estimates were in the 3:20 bracket

Why slower now?
A direct result of the work that was done in reaction to market demand to restrict budgets, and in no small part to maintain a drive to create a global formula as a result.

Where will these cars be eligible to race?
In the FIA World Endurance Championship including the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Is there any chance that this could still emerge as a global formula, could the cars be adopted by IMSA too?
Despite the progress with budgets and tech this seems ever more unlikely. IMSA have been engaged with discussions throughout but have been clear that budget levels were a major sticking point – sources strongly suggest that the further reduction will not be enough to persuade IMSA to adopt these rules and that they will continue to pursue DPi with a second iteration of the LMP2 chassis-based class due just after the introduction of ‘Hypercar’.

Why slower than the current LMP1 cars?
Aero efficiency and ultimate power have been sacrificed for controls on development (and therefore budget), plus styling that is more brand-relevant .

Doesn’t that mean the new cars will be just a little quicker than the current LMP2 cars at Le Mans?
Yes, and there is an acknowledgement that the LMP2s will likely need to be slowed down a little, in fact, a process that could have an additional benefit for the current LMP2 marketplace!

How long are these regulations designed to be in place?
Currently, they are designed to run from the 2020/21 season for five years.

Are ‘Evo’ upgrades allowed?
Only for safety, reliability, and if the original car falls short of the performance envelope.

Can a manufacturer register multiple designs?
No, but a manufacturer can introduce one new car (in addition/ replacement for their original design) during the five year period, again this will have to operate within the performance window.

Will testing and other expensive aspects of racing be restricted?
Yes, there will be no testing allowed during the ‘flyaway’ part of the WEC season with further controls outside that time, three two day ‘collective’ tests will be staged, including two endurance tests and a further four days of testing is allowed.

What about tyre development?
Again as part of the cost reduction exercise it is envisaged that a single tyre supplier will be in place for the class, likely through a competitive tender exercise.

Any other cost controls?
Yes, including a limitation on crew numbers per car and, with the exception of Le Mans, a single pit stop area per two-car team meaning that pit equipment and personnel costs will be reduced.

Which factories are involved?
A number of manufacturers have been involved in discussions over the period of the development of the new regulations. Some are directly interested in potential programmes, others in ensuring they keep abreast of technical developments.

Toyota, Aston Martin and McLaren are the three most often cited as being the most likely early adopters with BMW and Ferrari also attending technical working groups. Ford have been actively involved until recently.

Specialist motorsport suppliers of both chassis and powertrain technology are involved too.

Anyone else?
A series of seven board-level presentations to manufacturers are currently underway prior to the December FIA World Motorsport Council.

The first three named manufacturers (above) at least are involved and are believed to have already met with the senior management group from the FIA/ ACO/ WEC.

At least three of the programmed meetings are at the request of manufacturers who have not been fully engaged with the process thus far but who have responded to a dossier of information about the opportunities distributed by the FIA/ ACO/ WEC.

How many factory takers are expected?
The great open question, nobody in the organising body is counting any chickens!

Why the change in regulations?
The current LMP1 Hybrid class hit trouble after both Audi and Porsche withdrew (at the end of 2016 and 2017 respectively) leaving only Toyota as a factory Hybrid contender.

A variety of reasons were cited for the withdrawals including concerns about budget levels, the drive for the auto industry to ‘electrify’ in the wake of ‘dieselgate’ and other industry-led issues.

Will roadgoing hypercars like the Ferrari LaFerrari and Koenigsegg be eligible?
No, the new race cars will be based on pure racing carbon chassis, they will though be capable of being styled to be ‘brand-relevant’, recognisably related to their road-going cousins.

So why is this class referred to as ‘Hypercar’?
A good question, firstly because it does not currently have a formal name, secondly because the performance levels are broadly equivalent to a road-going hypercar and thirdly because they are intended to have that ‘look’.

So what will the new class be called?
That will be decided in the New Year after a public consultation which will offer the opportunity for fans to decide between c.10 options, all including the key words and phrases involved in the new formula. GTMcGTFace is unlikely be an option!

Will the current LMP1 cars still be eligible to race?
With Toyota set to be one of the early adopters of the new regulations this, effectively, becomes a question about the current LMP1 privateers. No decision will be made on ‘grandfathering’ until the take-up of the new ruleset becomes clear.

How does this fit in with the proposed ‘Zero Emissions’ rules due in 2024/25?
To be determined as those discussions progress, at present the two rulesets overlap, and they may continue to do so if the ‘Hypercar’ rules are extended, a range of options are under consideration for Zero Emissions that will be informed by the availability and maturity of the technology.

Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus has become the first team to confirm a 2020/21 FIA WEC ‘Hypercar’ program, after New York-based owner and founder Jim Glickenhaus revealed his operation’s plans to RACER earlier today.

The team, which has run in the Nurburgring 24 Hours annually in recent years (taking pole in 2017), will run a two-car team for the new regulations. This commitment comes after the outline details of the rules were revealed last month.

The new hypercar concept prototype rules that will come into force for the 2020/21 World Endurance Championship will mandate road-based powertrains.

The rules agreed on Wednesday by the FIA's World Motor Sport Council demand that both the internal combustion engine and the front-axle energy-retrieval system must be based on units "destined for a series production car homologated for road use".

At least 25 cars equipped with the engine and 25 cars equipped with the hybrid system must be produced by the end of the year after the climax of the first season in which they are used in the WEC.

Those figures rise to 100 units after the end of the second season.

Modifications to the engine are free, apart from the block and cylinder head, but the rules state that no modifications are allowed to the hybrid motor-generator unit.

The rules lay down the performance windows for the cars that are at the core of the regulations.

Figures are laid down for the downforce, drag and overall aerodynamic efficiency of the cars.

A maximum power output has been set at 508kW or 680bhp and the power of the hybrid system at 200kW or 268bhp.

Weight distribution is also set: there must be a 48.5 percent bias to the front with a tolerance of 1.5 percent.

The minimum weight has been set at 1040kg, up from the 980kg announced during the week of the Le Mans 24 Hours in June when the hypercar concept was unveiled.

There will be strict homologation of the cars over the five-season life of the category.

A manufacturer or constructor will be able to homologate two different designs and will also be allowed five 'joker' upgrades over the same period.

The rules have already been published on the FIA website and retain the existing LMP1 moniker.

WEC promoter the Automobile Club de l'Quest has said that it intends to canvas sportscar racing fans to help it chose a name.

Daniel Lloyd wrote:Production Cars to be Included in 2020 ‘Hypercar’ Regs

WEC opens up 2020 ‘hypercar’ class to production models in a bid to attract manufacturers…

The FIA World Endurance Championship has adjusted its criteria for the upcoming set of 2020 top-level prototype regulations, with manufacturers now permitted to enter race cars based from road-going hypercars.

Confirmed in Thursday’s FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting in Geneva, the decision opens up the possibility to both road car-styled and road car-based machinery competing in the category that is set to replace LMP1.

Details on the expanded regulations, or how the two platforms will be regulated, have not been released.

The original mission of the rulebook issued last December was for manufacturers to take styling cues from their hypercar road cars, however some manufacturers including Ferrari have expressed interest in a close alignment between their production and race activities.

An FIA statement on this latest move said that there will be an “expansion of the 2020 LMP technical regulations concept to allow a ‘hypercar’ developed from the road cars sold by the manufacturer to enter.”

It added that opening up the grid to production cars “is designed to enable additional manufacturers to enter the championship.”

Aston Martin has been among the manufacturers leading a push towards a production-based set of regulations in recent weeks, although Toyota has remained firm behind the original set of approved draft regulations.

So far, no major manufacturer has committed to the new class, which is scheduled to debut for the 2020-21 WEC season.